Boy 2 "graduated" from pre-school on Friday.
Yes, a kinder-gardener is in the hay-youse! After attending his orientation for kindergarten at the school last week, he was very confused about when he gets to start. September seems very far away (for both of us).
Boy 1 finishes the second grade on June 11th. Sniff, sniff.
Please don't get me wrong. I love my boys and I love spending time with them. But for some reason, this summer seems especially daunting. I feel so inferior when I hear other moms say how excited they are for summer-time and having their kids home. It may come down to my not being a planner and summer-time means a lot of planning. Healthy meals, fun activities, play dates, continuing learning, swim and other sport lessons. School doesn't leave a lot of time for all that stuff.
I want them to have great memories and love summer the way I did. But I do want to do it in a way that will not be too stressful for me. You all know how I handle stress. Times are different. I don't feel like I can just set them loose on the neighborhood. I know kids can be a bit oblivious, but I don't remember my mom planning my activities much.
When I was a kid, summer was a time of family reunions, rodeos and parades in my grandparents' small town in Idaho - and loving the open space that was their farm. At my home, I took tennis lessons sponsored by the city (remember that gorgeous coach named Steve?), rode my bike all over, and played kick-the-can with the neighborhood kids, but mostly spent time with my bff, Pam. I was lucky enough to live right next to her and we were friends from the time we were babies. We were an enterprising duo. We were actors putting on variety shows, journalists digging for interesting articles for our neighborhood newspaper, and crime fighters doing our best to rid the hood of the Playboy magazines that the older boys would hide.
So I'm trying to think of ways that I can re-create that feeling of summer (without the Playboys) in a way that won't have me running around like a headless chicken(it really does happen - I've seen it!), and still be able to get the business of running a family that needs to be done. My friend, Shiara, has started this non-profit website called, UnplugThem.org that will help. I signed up for their free Weekly Activity Guide that gives ideas for activities along with a checklist for all supplies you may need. I've also seen a lot of ideas on Pinterest. I'm just going to have to plan well. Eventually, I'll be so organized none of my friends will know me. Of course, the boys will be grown by then. SIGH.
At least I know where we'll be at 9am each morning.
Y M C A!
(I know you just totally did the arm letters in your head)
You don't know how many times I think that myself!-- Oh, I'll be organized someday, but it probably won't be until the kids are grown. I'll be great at finishing a sewing project someday-- at least my grandkids will benifit from it.
ReplyDeleteHow cool that you're doing swim lessons! (I assume that's what you're doing at YMCA, although now that I think aobut it, there are plenty other options.) I haven't gotten my act together about swim lessons since girl #2 was born. I never know what to do with the baby while the other is swimming/needing help changing, etc.
And of course I did the arm letters in my head. Maybe I'll do them in the car next time I see you ;)
I've been doing the water aerobics at the Y. Now that Max is done with pre-school, I can go every day. But yes, we are going to be doing swim lessons too. I've got to fill up our days. Max is going to do soccer camp that the city sponsors, too. I am organizationally challenged so I'm a little stressed! :) We'll have to see how many of the letters we can get in before we pass.
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